Nine Months
by Melaly
Summary: What went on during the nine months Lily was pregnant with Harry? What about all the buisness with the prophecy and the Fidelius Charm? I'm not really sure where this story is going but it will probably end with baby Harry at the Dursleys...?
1. Candlelit Dinner

[A/N: Whoo! I have a cold! So I have time to sit for hours upon end and write lovely fanfics for you. Excuse me while I sneeze, and on with the show.]

"James... Come with me. I need to tell you something," Lily whispered, leaning over the candle in the middle of the table at which she was sharing a meal with her husband. They were dining out on the patio of their newly purchased home, and it was a beautiful evening. Every star in the sky was visible. She grabbed his hand and pulled him up from the table, and out on to the lawn, leading to the pond that was a little ways away from their house.

"What do you need to tell me? Why can't you just say it here? Aw, Lily, I'm digesting! I can't be running all over the place like some mad, blazing-"

"Stag? Funny, James. Just come on!" She laughed, and continued to pull him along. Her feet mechanically found the small path that lead to the pond, and she laughed again as she listened to James mumbling to the air in her wake.

"Just ate... stomach's gonna hurt... what's so important?"

But Lily knew that once he heard the news she was about to tell him, he would feel completely different. This was big. Big news. Life changing news. And she had been plotting ways to tell him since the moment she'd found out herself.

She stopped abruptly when they reached the small bench that was situated by the water's edge. She let go of her husband's hand, and sat down, beckoning him to sit next to her.

"Lily," He started, amusingly, as he settled himself next to her, wrapped an arm around her waist, and lowered his head to her shoulder, "What in the world is this about?"

"Don't worry.. You'll know soon enough... Can we just... sit here for a minute?"

"Sure, Lil... are you alright? I mean... are you feeling okay? This morning you about vomited all your insides out, (He whispered a nervous "sorry" at the look on her face) and you just ate... I mean..."

"Yeah... I'm fine," She whispered, relaxing on to his chest now that he had sat up, "I love you, James."

"I love you, too," he answered, kissing the top of her head.

They sat in silence for a few moments, as Lily collected her thoughts. She loved him, and he loved her. She knew exactly how he would react to her news, so why was she so nervous?

She never wanted to move from this spot. He was rubbing one of his palms up and down her arm to keep her warm, as it was nearing the end of October, and was quite cool out. She grinned as she she heard him start to hum an obviously distinguishable "Weird Sisters" song, even though he repetitively stated that he despised the group. She snuggled closer to his chest, and felt it rise and fall as he breathed steadily. She could fall asleep right here, as long as he was holding her._ Just think... _Lily thought to herself, as she began to impulsively breathe in time with James,_ Nine months from now..._

[A/N: Is it way too obvious? I just can't resist the stupid cliffhangers. This is my first attempt at a Marauder's age fic, so give me some advice... Good? Bad? OH- if you'll notice, I took the time and calculated out nine months before July (Harry's birthday), and it happens to be October. Go Leah! I'm off to write the 2nd chapter..]


	2. Baby!

"James," Lily started. She decided now was a good time.. The humming had stopped, at least.

"James... I... I'm going... We... We are going to..." She lifted her head so she could look into his eyes. _Here it goes_, she thought. "We're going to have a baby!" She beamed wildly, and gazed at her husband, expectantly awaiting a response.

It took a long moment for James to completely register what his wife had just told him, during which he stared at her blankly. _Baby? Did she say? B-a-b-y? Father? Me!? Bloody hell... a... a baby! _"BABY! Baby!? Lily! Holy... Lily are you serious? You're pregnant?" He finally exclaimed, his face slowly forming into a broad grin, awaiting her answer, although he knew perfectly well she wouldn't have been joking about something as important as a baby...

[A/N: I give you a cookie if you can count how many times I used the word 'baby'!]

Lily nodded. In one swift movement, James lifted her off the ground and into a big hug, twirling her around and around, laughing. He was so happy. He'd never felt this happy in all his life. He was going to be a Dad!

He set Lily down, firmly on the ground, yet gently, as she was now accompanied by the second person he would soon love more than anything in the world. He kept her in his arms, however, and pulled her close, nestling his chin in her fiery red hair for a brief moment before she pulled away to look at him once more. She had tears in her eyes, but she was still smiling. _And how beautiful she looked,_ he thought.

"James- It's a boy... Healer Thomas told me when I went to get it checked out last week... You know, because I was "vomiting my insides out" every morning... He's coming in July." She gave a half laugh, half sob, and wiped her tears away with a shaking hand.

"A son... Oh, Lily.. This is the most wonderful... The happiest I've ever been! I love you so much!" James whispered, and he leaned down planted his lips on hers, in a deep, passionate kiss.

And when he finally pulled back slowly, he took her hand, and began to lead her back up the path to the house.

Lily stood dumbstruck for a moment, still lost in the unexpected kiss. She couldn't believe how happy she felt. She stopped abruptly, and James turned to look at her.

"What?" he asked her, a devilish grin appearing on his face.

"Turn around." Lily requested, laughing. James obeyed, and slowly turned, eyeing her suspiciously.

She gave a great leap, and landed in perfect piggy-back position on James's back. She wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, and buried her face in the untidy black hair their son would be sure to inherit. He gave a small "Ooof!" of surprise and then wrapped his arms around her knees, and took off at a run up the hill, towards the brightly lit house, which, James now realized, was the perfect size for 3 people.

[A/N: Sorry it's so short! I'm sick you know.. I'm still formulating the plot... I want incorporate some kind of journal thing James keeps during the pregnancy, and maybe flash to present day and Harry somehow finds the journal.. which includes some crazy moving pictures from each month and Lily keeps getting fatter... Hahaa.. These are just ideas though.. I'll find a way.. review?]


	3. Prongs Jr

November came in a blink of an eye. Lily and James had spent the last week of October telling everyone they knew their exciting news.

Sirius, of course, was the first to know. Being James's best friend, he would have been insulted if he wasn't the first.

_"Well, well... I know what you two where doing that night you told me you couldn't go to the Three Broomsticks with me and Remus because you had "other plans"... heh.. Sorry, Prongsie.. you know I'm only joking... Hey! Watch where you point that... OH, yeah. Congratulations. I'm the Godfather, right?"_

And of course, they would make Sirius the Godfather of their son. Lily's first choice had been Remus, as he was the more responsible of the Marauders. But Sirius, realizing that Lily didn't think him responsible, and wanting to prove himself to her, came to their house one night to tell her in person that he would die to protect his best friend's son. Lily had been so moved by Sirius's uncharacteristically _serious_ proclamation, she started sobbing all over him, leaving both James and Sirius bewildered and exasperated.

Remus, Peter, James's parents, Lily's parents, and Lily's friends were among some of the others who were told about the baby. By this time, Lily did seem to have put on a few pounds.

On one particular day, after her shower, Lily made her way down to the kitchen, her wet hair pilled atop her head in a messy ponytail. She was wearing one of James's old quidditch team shirts, and her huge plaid pajama pants. None of her clothes fit her anymore.

"Morning, James... I love you." She told him, as she hugged him from the back, which had now become considerably hard. He set down what he was levitating and turned to face her, giving her a swift kiss on the lips.

"I love you, too. And how's James Jr. doing this morning?" He asked her, reaching down to rub her belly gingerly, "Wow, Lily, you've... um... _grown_... a bit..."

"James!" she said sternly, but the seriousness in her voice was overcome by her laughter, "I'm pregnant! I can't fit into any of my clothes anymore! I had to steal one of your shirts, if that's okay? And hang on a moment.... When did we decide on naming him James Jr.?"

"Aw, Lil... you don't like my name?" he asked her, with a very big fake pout, "Or we could name him Prongs Jr. if you like that better."

"I'm not naming my son Prongs!" Lily replied with a grin, "I think I'd really like something with an 'H'... it sounds business like... 'Mr. H. Potter'... what about.. Harvey... or Harold?"

"Lily, you can't be serious. _Harvey?_ Harold? I don't know... Everyone would call him 'Harry' for short anyway... so if that's really the name you want, I say we just name him Harry in the first place... and Harry sounds a lot better than Harold."

"Harry..." Lily said thoughtfully, "Harry Potter... I like it. And if you really want to have him named after you, we can use it as his middle name."

"Harry Prongs Potter... I like it, too." said James jokingly, as he levitated the finished breakfast over to the table where Lily was sitting, and gave her another quick kiss. And before placing the two glasses down on the table and seating himself, he bent and gently kissed Lily's stomach, through his faded grey Wimbourne Wasps t-shirt. "Good morning, Harry."

Lily smiled at him as she took the glasses from him and poured orange juice into each. "James... I love you so much.. and Harry will love you too."


	4. Carry this Picture

[Tah dah! I used my journal idea... The chapter is titled after the Dashboard Confessional song, 'Carry this Picture'... this chapter was really hard to write. Especially trying to explain the whole treasure box deal, without making it sound too over detailed... I'm getting a pretty good idea of where the story is going now, so I'll try to update soon.. I hope you like it!]

16-year old Harry James Potter awoke with a jolt. It took him a few moments to realize where he was. He was back at the Dursley's. It was the summer before his 6th year, and it was very late at night. He'd fallen asleep on top of his desk, and there was a big drool spot on what he had been reading to prove it.

What he had been reading, was however, more important than the large puddle of drool. His father's journal.

The night he had returned to the Dursley's, he'd received an owl carrying a large package. A box of his Godfather's most treasured possessions. The package was sent anonymously, but a note was scribbled on the box that read:

_This is an enchanted treasure box. It's charmed to be sent to the one who was cared about most by the person who owned it when they passed away. In this case, Harry, your name appeared on the box. I know Sirius and James would have wanted you to have these things. This box did, in fact, belong to your own father, and was left to Sirius. Now it's your turn. Please take good care of it and all it's contents._

The memory of Sirius was still so painful for Harry. He sometimes couldn't bear to think of him. He confined himself in his bedroom, refusing to come out except for meals. It helped that the Dursley's had given up on making him do chores, as he wouldn't do them anyway. He kept the treasure box under the loose floorboard in which he had hidden so many things before, and he vowed never to open it. It was just too painful. But tonight, his mind wandered to the note scribbled on top of this mysterious box. _I know Sirius and James would have wanted you to have these things._ He finally gave in, and decided to open it.

It was amazing. There were so many things to explore and learn about, Harry didn't know where to start. There was an extra copy of the Marauder's Map ('Just in case one gets confiscated!' the title told him), many old photographs (all of which were moving), a pile of cards with Sirius's best-man speech from his parents wedding... Some of Lily's things were there.. a locket that looked like it was given to her by a Mother or Grandmother... Grandmother by the looks of it... and the most wonderful of all, a journal. James's journal.

Harry never thought of his father as the journal keeping type, but it was there. It looked as though he would write every night. Including, because Harry had checked, the night he and his wife has been murdered. It started around the October before he was born, so Harry figured he had kept it during his mother's pregnancy. He was so interested in reading it, that he had fallen asleep on top of it.

The pages had been turned so many times, torn on corners and Spell-O-Taped back together... Harry couldn't help but be interested in it. It was as if he was living his father's life as he read it. He flipped past the page he had been reading, and to the next entry. He began to read..

_November 19_

_Well, Lily's just fallen asleep. She does that a lot lately. Maybe it's the baby. I'll be talking to her, and she'll just completely pass out. Hopefully she will wake up so I can take her upstairs to the bed, I don't want her sleeping here on the sofa. _

_I wish that I could take the burden of carrying our child for myself, and relieve her of this stress, but I know she wouldn't have it. I envy her in so many ways. She can't even bend over properly anymore, but she doesn't let that stop her. I am the luckiest man alive to have her, and I know that little Harry will feel as lucky to have such a great mother. _

_Did I mention? We've decided on the name Harry today. Her first choice was Harvey, but I talked her out of it. Harry James Potter... I wonder what he'll look like. He'll either have Lily's hair, or my hair.. Hopefully he won't have mine, so it won't tempt him to act as arrogant as I was at school. And maybe he'll will have Lily's eyes.. yes, he would defiantly need her eyes. They're so beautiful, those eyes. Every time I look in them I get lost. _

_God, I love Lily so much. Sometimes I feel like she's too good for me... like I don't deserve her. I also think about what my life would be like without her, and I can't bear it. She's a part of me, and it would be like I lost all of limbs if she left. I wouldn't be able to move without her... wouldn't even be able to breathe. I would loose my heart and my soul..._

_Oh- she's waking now. I have to help her upstairs. Here's the photo we took today. Our first family portrait._

The picture was stuck between the crease of the pages. Harry flipped it over and stared at it. The 2 people in the picture where moving, but slightly. His mother was standing in front of his father, resting her head under his chin. he kept kissing her head and rubbing his cheek in her hair. His mother was wearing plaid pajama pants, and a huge Wimbourne Wasps t-shirt, which stretched over her large belly. James's arm wrapped around Lily, and his hand rested right over her belly button. They were both laughing, and rubbing Lily's stomach over and over.

They looked so happy.

They _were_ so happy.


	5. Prophecies and Right Hooks

It was a cold, rainy, February night. Albus Dumbledore trudged through to rain towards the Hog's Head Inn to see an applicant for a Divination teacher. He didn't even want the subject of Divination taught at Hogwarts anymore. But apparently, she was the great-great-granddaughter of Cassandra Trelawny, and it might be worth listening to her.

It wasn't. Albus could tell she was making up fake predictions as she went along, and he didn't much appreciate being lied to. The tea leaves in his cup didn't look anything like a sun with a spear through it, and he was sure that the great Cassandra would have been ashamed of her great-great-granddaughter.

"Ahem..." he coughed, only to catch her attention, "Thanks so much, Ms. Trelawny, I think I have enough to make my decision."

Her already hugely magnified eyes became, if possible, even wider. "But Albus.. the spirits," she started, closing her eyes, and concentrating hard, "I sense them.. they are telling me something... yes... yes..."

"Sibyll, I really don't think we will need a Divination teacher this year. I am truly sorry, but I don't think I will even continue to offer the subject. Thank you for your time... Good night." said Dumbledore. He pushed himself up out of his squashy armchair, and made his way towards the stairs leading down the pub. He was very tired, and looking forward to a nice, long sleep.

All of the sudden, a piece of glass shattered on the floor, and Albus heard a loud thump, as Sibyll Trelawny dropped to her knees in a crouching position. He spun around quickly, and gazed at her. Her eyes were even wider than they had been when she was making things up, and Albus had the feeling that she was about to make a real, true prediction. She slowly rose to her feet again, arms stiff by her side, and her mouth began to move.

_"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."_

-------------------------------------

Over a hundred miles away on this very same night, Lily Potter was lying awake in her bed. Her mind was racing. There was no way she could sleep. She was thinking about life, and everything that had happened to her in the past 4 months. She couldn't begin to descirbe how wonderful they had been. Despite the stress she had undergone in planning various parties for the holidays, talking with James about fixing up the last room in their new house (the nursery), and making room for her parents who came to visit, the days kept getting better and better.

At that moment, James gave a loud half grunt, half snore, and rolled over, pulling the blankets off of Lily. She rolled her eyes, and began the task of reaching over her large mid-section to retrieve the bed sheets. But as her arm grazed her belly button, she felt a soft push. Harry was kicking her.

She put a trembling hand to her stomach, to get a better feel. When she felt it again, she smiled, and used her free hand to shake James awake.

"James," she whispered, her eyes on her belly button, "The baby- I can feel him kicking! Come see..."

"Huh... what? Lily...." he stirred, and then shot bolt upright, "LILY! What's going on?! Are you okay!?" He whipped around to look at Lily, who was still lying down, laughing silently.

"James... I'm fine sweetie.. come feel..." She said. When he looked confused, she figured he hadn't heard what she'd said. She took his hand and placed it over her belly button. And sure enough, Harry kicked again. James turned slowly and smiled at her, amazed that his son was showing his first signs of life.

"Wow... Lil.. he's moving... already? It's been, what? Four months?" He yawned, "This little guy's pretty tough..."

They sat in silence for a moment until James leaned back on his pillows, and turned to face his wife.

"I love you, Lil... so much... Now try and get some sleep okay? Don't let our son's excellent right hook distract you. I have a feeling that when he comes, we won't get any sleep for a long, long time." he kissed her cheek, and smiled at the look of mock terror on her face.

"I love you, too, James." she replied wearily. And with that, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

[A/N: Another chapter done.. I copied the prophecy straight out of my copy of OotP, so if I did make a mistake, please tell me. This is just my version of what happened that night, minus the "eavesdropper" getting thrown out.. which I might try and include in a later chapter. Review?]


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